Toilet paper roll having a cleansing composition

ABSTRACT

A roll of toilet paper which has web portions where the web is folded upon itself and provided with an inner film of cleansing composition and an outer barrier layer so that the film of cleansing composition cannot spread through the convolutions of the roll while at the same time the folded web portions will become unfolded during unwinding of the roll to expose the cleansing composition. After the film of cleansing composition and barrier layer are respectively deposited at opposite faces of the web at preselected areas therealong the web is folded upon itself at the areas where the film of cleansing composition is located and then the film of cleansing composition at each folded web portion is frozen to retain each web portion in its folded condition during winding of the web into a roll.

United States Patent [191 Bucalo 1 May 22, 1973 [54] TOILET PAPER ROLLHAVING A CLEANSING COMPOSITION [22] Filed: Nov. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:198,551

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,102,203 6/1914 Scott2,961,678 11/1960 MacLellan. 3,485,349 12/1969 Chaney 3,613,142 10/1971Chaney ..l5/104 94 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney-Harold D.Steinberg et al.

57 ABSTRACT A roll of toilet paper which has web portions where the webis folded upon itself and provided with an inner film of cleansingcomposition and an outer barrier layer so that the film of cleansingcomposition cannot spread through the convolutions of the roll while atthe same time the folded web portions will become unfolded duringunwinding of the roll to expose the cleansing composition. After thefilm of cleansing composition and barrier layer are respectivelydeposited at opposite faces of the web at preselected areas therealongthe web is folded upon itself at the areas where the film of cleansingcomposition is located and then the film of cleansing composition ateach folded web portion is frozen to retain each web portion in itsfolded condition during winding of the web into a roll.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet .l

Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet TOILET PAPER ROLL HAVING ACLEANSING COMPOSITION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to toilet paper.

In particular, the present invention relates to rolls of toilet paperwhich are conventionally composed of a web of absorbent paper which iswound into a roll for use in toilet rooms.

One of the most serious drawbacks encountered with conventional toiletpaper rolls of this type resides in the fact that they are incapable ofeffectively carrying out cleaning operations. Conventional rolls oftoilet paper are invariably dry so that when they are used the operationinvolves only a wiping operation without any cleansing beyond that whichis obtained simply from the frictional wiping action.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a toilet paper roll which will avoid thisdrawback.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide atoilet paper roll which will have at intervals therealong a film ofcleansing composition which will be available to be used for cleaningnot only by wiping action but also by the chemical dissolving action ofa cleansing cream which may be any conventional cleansing cream.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a toilet paperroll which can have a film of cleansing composition situated atsuccessive preselected areas therealong in such a way that the film ofcleansing composition at the successive areas cannot spread through theconvolutions of absorbent paper.

In addition it is an object of the present invention to provide a toiletpaper roll according to which the entire roll is composed only of asingle web of paper so that complications which would otherwise beencountered in joining together a plurality of webs are avoided.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a relativelyinexpensive roll of toilet paper which can be sold at relatively lowcost while fulfilling the above objects so that the cleaning capabilityof the roll of the invention is far beyond that of conventional toiletpaper rolls.

According to the invention the toilet paper roll has the form of anelongated web of paper which is wound into a roll and which hastransverse lines of perforations between at least some of which thereare web portions folded upon themselves to provide at each web portionan intermediate web section situated between inner and outer websections. Between the intermediate web section and one of the inner andouter web sections is located a film of cleansing composition while thefaces of the web sections opposed to those which carry the film areprovided with a barrier layer preventing the film from spreading throughthe convolutions of the web. Thus, when the web is unwound from the rollthe areas where the film of cleansing composition is located will becomeexposed for use. According to the method of the invention, after thefilm of cleansing composition and the barrier layer are deposited atpredetermined areas of the web, the web is folded upon itself to enclosethe film of cleansing composition within the barrier layer at each ofthe folded web portions, and with the web thus folded the cleansingcomposition is frozen to retain each folded web portion in its foldedcondition during winding of the web into a roll.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a roll of toilet paperaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus and method formanufacturing the roll of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of part of the structure of FIG. 1schematically illustrating in greater detail how the web is acted uponby the disclosed method and apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there isillustrated therein a toilet paper roll 10 according to the presentinvention. This roll 10 has a conventional interior core or sleeve 12,in the form of a hollow cardboard tube, for example, onto which anelongated web of paper 14 is wound to form the roll 10, as is wellknown. This web of paper 14 is formed with transverse lines ofperforations 16 distributed therealong at predetermined intervals, as isalso well known. Thus the paper 14 can conveniently be torn transverselyat selected lines of perforations 16.

In accordance with the present invention the web 14, which forms theonly layer of paper used for the entire roll 10, is provided between atleast some of the lines of perforations 16 with web portions 18. One ofthe web portions 18 is shown in FIG. 1 in the condition it takes duringunfolding thereof, and the present invention will most readily beunderstood in connection with this particular web portion 18. As may beseen from FIG. 1, the partly unfolded web portion 18 illustrated thereinincludes an intermediate web section 20 situated between an outer websection 22 and an inner web section 24. This inner web section 24extends along the roll until it terminates in the outer web section 22of the next inner web portion 18 while the outer web section 22 extendsalong the roll until it terminates in the inner web section of the nextouter web portion 18.

Between the web section 20 and the inner web section 24 in theillustrated example, the web 14 carries a film 26 of cleansingcomposition such as a nonevaporative cleansing cream of any well knowncomposition. This film 26 covers that face of the section 20 of thepartly unfolded web section 18 in FIG. 1 which is not visible in FIG. 1,as well as the face of section 24 at the partly unfolded section 18which is directed toward the viewer of FIG. 1. Thus only that part ofthe film 26 which is on the section 24 at the part thereof visible inFIG. 1 is apparent in FIG. 1.

The outer surfaces of sections 20 and 24, opposite to the surfacesthereof which carry the film 26, are covered with a barrier layer whichmay take the form of a suitable wax or of a layer of plastic such aspolyethylene or the like, this barrier layer preventing the film 26 fromspreading through the wound convolutions of the web 14.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the roll 10 of the invention has theconvolutions thereof wound in such a way that the webportions 18 areretained by the convolutionsof the roll in their folded condition whereeach film 26 is enclosed within a barrier layer 28 deposited on thosefaces of the sections 20 and 24 which are opposite to the faces thereofwhich carry the film 26, as pointed out above.

While it is possible to locate the film 26 between the intermediatesection 20 and the outer section 22 of each web portion 28, theillustrated arrangement is preferred because in this way duringunwinding of the roll the film 26 is directed away from the axis of theroll to be directed toward the individual using the roll so that thefilm 26 becomes immediately visible to the individual unwinding theroll. Also, in the illustrated example a web portion 18 is situatedbetween each pair of successive lines of perforations 16, so that theselines alternate with the web portions 18. With this arrangement the webis torn at each line of perforations, and the total length of sections20 and 24 is less than half the total length of the web from one line ofperforation 16 to the next line of perforation 16, so that there isavailable to the user between each successive pair of lines ofperforations 16 a length of web 14 more than one half of which can beused for drying and wiping purposes after the cleansing cream has beenapplied. However, it is also possible to provide a roll where the webportions 18 are situated between every second or every third pair ofsuccessive lines of perforations 16 so that, for example, there will befrom two to four lines of perforations 16 between each pair ofsuccessive web portions 18.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated therein a method andapparatus for manufacturing the roll of the invention. As may be seenfrom FIG. 2, the web 14 is initially derived from any suitable supplysource and is moved by a conveyor means along the path illustrated inFIG. 2. The conveyor means includes a pair of feed rolls 30 driven fromany suitable source and feeding the web 14 to the left, as viewed inFIG. 2. The conveying of the web is continued by a pair of additionalfeed rolls 32. Between the feed rolls 30 and 32 is located aconventional perforating roll 34 which is driven from any suitablesource and which coacts with a suitable counter roll 36, so that theperforating elements 38 carried by the roll 34 will form the lines ofperforations 16 at regular intervals in a well known manner.

Beyond the feed rolls 32 of the conveyor means are located a pair ofdepositing rolls 40 and 42 for respectively depositing the film 26 andthe barrier layer 28. These rolls 40 and 42 are rotated in synchronismthrough any suitable drive with the upper roll 40 rotating in aclockwise direction while the lower roll 42 rotates in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2. These depositing rolls40 and 42 are each provided in the illustrated example with threearcuate projections terminating in outer surfaces located along acylinder whose axis coincides with that of the roll and with theprojections uniformly distributed about the axis of each roll. Thus theprojecting portions of the rolls are synchronized to meet with eachother and thus continue the feeding of the web 14 beyond the rolls 42.The upper depositing roll 40 engages a transfer roll 44 which is carriedby a reservoir 46 of the cleansing composition in such a way that theexterior surface of each projection of the roll 40 receives a film ofcleansing composition which subsequently is deposited on the uppersurface of the web 14 as it is conveyed to the left beyond the feedrolls 32, as viewed in FIG. 2. Simultaneously the lower roll 42 receivesa barrier layer from a transfer roll 48 rotatably carried by a reservoir50 in which there is situated in molten condition either wax,polyethylene, or any suitable material which can render the area whichreceives the film 26 impervious to an extent sufficient to prevent thefilm 26 from spreading through the convolutions of the roll. Thus, thefilm of cleansing composition and the barrier layer will besimultaneously deposited in opposite faces of the web 14 atpredetermined areas distributed along the web 14.

Subsequent to the rolls 40 and 42 the web 14 is supported for freemovement along a pair of guide rolls 52 and 54 which are simplysupported for free rotary movement in any suitable way.

As the web 14 moves downwardly beyond the roll 54, it is received on thetop surface of an endless belt 56. This endless belt 56 is guided formovement around pulleys or rollers 58 any one of which is driven in anysuitable way, and the belt 56 is itself in the form of an open mesh sothat air can flow freely therethrough. The upper run 60 of the endlessbelt 56 passes over a suction means 62 so that air is drawn through theweb 14 on the upper run 60 so the web 56, thus creating a suction whichholds the web 14 against the upper run 60 compelling the web to movewith this upper run to the left along the suction means 62. Thissuctions means 62 can have any suitable construction such as a suitableenclosure having a top open end 63 (FIG. 3) located directly next to thelower surface of the web 60 and this enclosure can communicate with anysuitable source of suction which will effectively retain the web 14against the upper run 60 of the endless belt 56.

As may be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, there are located on opposite sidesof the upper run 60, at the right end region of the suction means 62 apair of units 64 which form a folding means. These units 64 are in theform of vertical rollers or pulleys 66 driven in any suitable way andeach pair of rollers 66 carries an endless belt 68. The rollers 66 shownat the upper part of FIG. 3 rotate in a clockwise direction while thoseshown at the lower part of FIG. 3 rotate in a counterclockwisedirection. Each endless belt 68 fixedly carries a plurality of elongatedrods or fingers 70 projecting therefrom in the manner showndiagrammatically in FIG. 3. These belts 68 may be made of endlessflexible sheets of metal, for example, fixedly carrying the rods orfingers 70 which project therefrom in the manner shown most clearly inFIG. 3. The elevation of the belts 68 is such that the folding rods orfingers 70 simultaneously move across the top of the suction means 62just over the upper run 60 of the belt 56 at the right end region of thesuction means 62. The rotation of the rollers 66 is such that thefingers 70 swing in synchronism across each side of the suction means atits right end region, as viewed in the drawings. Also, the speed ofmovement of the belts 68 is correlated with the speed of movement of theupper run 60 in such a way that each pair of fingers 70 which swingsacross the top of the run 60 of the belt 56 will fold a portion 18 ofthe web 14 into the condition illustrated in FIG. 1, the synchronizationand timing being such that the tips of the fingers 70 swing beyond theweb 14 at the instant when the intermediate section 20 of each webportion 18 has been folded completely down against the section 24. Thesynchronization is such that in this way each film 26 becomes foldedupon itself and enclosed between a barrier layer 28. The movement of theweb at each portion 18 during folding thereof is more rapid than therate at which the web is moved by the conveyor means, and thus there islocated between the roll 42 and the roll 52 an elongated breather loop72 which is free to move up and down during folding of the web, and inaddition at this breather loop it is possible for the barrier layer 28to dry. The film 26 is non-evaporative and remains in a moist creamycondition.

Once the web has been folded in this way at each of its portions 18, itpasses with the folded portion beneath the lower run 74 of an endlessbelt 76 which is located over the belt 56 and guided by suitable rollers78 which may be driven in any suitable way so that the belt 76 moves atthe same speed as the belt 56. Thus, the folded web portions 18 aremaintained in their folded condition as they move to the left with theupper run 60 in FIG. 2.

Just subsequent to the suction means 62, beneath the upper run 60 of theforaminous belt 56 is located a freezing means 70. This freezing means80 may take different forms. For example it may be in the form of anenclosure which has an open end located directly at the lower surface ofthe upper run 60 of the belt 66, and any suitable refrigeratingapparatus may communicate with the interior of this enclosure so as tomaintain it at a temperature which is sufficiently low to cause freezingof the film 26. However it is also possible to provide a freezing means80 in the form of a suitable spray device which sprays carbon dioxide,for example, against the folded web sections in order to bring aboutfreezing of the film 26 substantially instantaneously, Because the film26 is highly viscous in nature and because the viscosity thereof issharply reduced by the freezing action, the frozen film 26 effectivelymaintains the web portion 18 in its folded condition as it moves beyondthe endless belts 56 and 76.

As the web moves beyond the belts 56 and 76, it is wound onto the core12 which is rotated in any suitable manner well known in the art, sothat in this way the web 14 is formed into the roll 10, and after theroll has increased in diameter to a desired extent, the web is torn atone of the lines of perforations l6 and packaged so that in outerappearance the roll of the invention appears the same as a conventionalroll of toilet paper.

Thus, the above operations may go forward continuously in order toeffectively achieve the rolls of the invention in an inexpensive manneraccording to the above-described method and apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet paper roll comprising an elongated paper web wound into aroll and formed with transverse lines of perforations distributed alongsaid web to facilitate tearing of the latter along said lines ofperforations, said web having between at least some of said lines ofperforations web portions each of which is transversely folded uponitself, and each of said web portions including inner and outer websections separated by an intermediate web section with the inner websection of one web portion extending to the outer web section of thenext inner web portion and with the outer web section of each webportion extending to the inner web section of the next outer webportion, so that the roll of wound paper has at each web portion anintermediate section sandwiched between a pair of web sections whichrespectively form said inner and outer web sections, said web carryingat each web portion between said intermediate section and one of saidpair of sections a film of cleansing composition and a barrier layer atthe surfaces of said intermediate section and said one section of eachweb portion which are opposed to the surfaces where said film ofcleansing composition is located so that the latter film is retained inthe roll between said intermediate section and said one section of eachweb portion until the roll is unwound whereupon the folded web portionsare successively unwound from the roll and simultaneously unfolded toexpose the film of cleansing composition. retained 2. The combination ofclaim 1 and wherein said film of cleansing composition is located ateach web portion between said intermediate web section and said innerweb section thereof, so that during unwinding of the roll the films ofcleansing composition are successively exposed at areas which aredirected away from the axis of the roll.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said web portions alternatewith said lines of perforations so that one web portion is situatedbetween each pair of successive lines of perforations.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein the total length of eachintermediate section and inner section of each web portion is no greaterthan half the distance from one line of perforations to the next line ofperforations so that between successive lines of perforations said webhas a length at least twice as great as the length of said film ofcleansing composition when each web portion is unfolded during unwindingof the roll,

1. A toilet paper roll comprising an elongated paper web wound into aroll and formed with transverse lines of perforations distributed alongsaid web to facilitate tearing of the latter along said lines ofperforations, said web having between at least some of said lines ofperforations web portions each of which is transversely folded uponitself, and each of said web portions including inner and outer websections separated by an intermediate web section with the inner websection of one web portion extending to the outer web section of thenext inner web portion and with the outer web section of each webportion extending to the inner web section of the next outer webportion, so that the roll of wound paper has at each web portion anintermediate section sandwiched between a pair of web sections whichrespectively form said inner and outer web sections, said web carryingat each web portion between said intermediate section and one of saidpair of sections a film of cleansing composition and a barrier layer atthe surfaces of said intermediate section and said one section of eachweb portion which are opposed to the surfaces where said film ofcleansing composition is located so that the latter film is retained inthe roll between said intermediate section and said one section of eachweb portion until the roll is unwound whereupon the folded web portionsare successively unwound from the roll and simultaneously unfolded toexpose the film of cleansing composition. retained
 2. The combination ofclaim 1 and wherein said film of cleansing composition is located ateach web portion between said intermediate web section and said innerweb section thereof, so that during unwinding of the roll the films ofcleansing composition are successively exposed at areas which aredirected away from the axis of the roll.
 3. The combination of claim 1and wherein said web portions alternate with said lines of perforationsso that one web portion is situated between each pair of successivelines of perforations.
 4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein thetotal length of each intermediate section and inner section of each webportion is no greater than half the distance from one line ofperforations to the next line of perforations so that between successivelines of perforations said web has a length at least twice as great asthe length of said film of cleansing composition when each web portionis unfolded during unwinding of the roll.